Shot by a Friend – Story

DEC 10, 2020 In a recent episode of the television series, “NCIS,” sniper’s position in order to stop him from getting blown the lead character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, shoots fellow up. Gibbs, the expert marksman, shoots McGee in the leg agent and friend, Timothy McGee. The shooting was not to stop him. But McGee, grimacing in pain, intent on an accident. It was intentional. In fact, Gibbs shot McGee completing his mission, continues to crawl forward. not just once, but twice! As McGee lies in the hospital in Gibbs, hating to do it but out of love for his friend, puts critical condition, undergoing surgery, questions abound: another bullet in McGee’s leg, causing serious blood loss How did this happen? Will McGee survive? If so, will he and putting McGee’s health in critical status. walk again? How could our hero purposely shoot a fellow SPOILER ALERT: McGee lives, all involved understand agent? How will Gibbs live with the guilt of shooting his the intent of Gibbs’ actions, and Gibbs knows that as friend? difficult as it was to hurt his friend, wounding him was As the story unfolds, we learn that McGee was headed the right thing to do. toward a place that was about to blow up. He was unable Do you have a friend like that? A friend who loves to hear repeated warnings about the danger and the you enough to tell you the truth when you are headed need to back away. The only resource for Gibbs to save for danger? A friend who will risk hurting you, his friend’s life was to shoot McGee from his distant being misunderstood, and possibly even losing your Continued on Page 2 Continued from Page 1 LIFEnewsSE friendship by shooting straight with you when you are How thankful I am for the many mentors over the about to blow it big time? A friend who cares enough to years that God has provided, who have had my back, and confront when others rationalize that it is none of their cared enough to confront me when I was headed for business or simply prefer to avoid the difficulty danger. My parents, pastors, Christian counselors, Board and awkwardness of confrontation? members, Elders, and other friends have been used by In today’s world, Facebook users may have some God to bring reproof and correction to my life when I was 300+ friends, some with over 1,000, but how many are veering off course at different times in my life. In true friends? Aristotle distinguished between three tiers particular, my faithful bride of 51 years, Peggy, who of friendships: knows me best, has been the long-term true friend used by God to lovingly shoot me down when my prideful sin • Utility(mutual benefit) nature puffed me up and sent me in directions that the • Pleasure (enjoyable company) Bible states leads to death. Many times I have selfishly • Goodness/Virtue (common character, genuine care) headed for danger, and she has seen what I didn’t see. Most of our friendships likely fall into the first two More times than not, she has to shoot more than once to categories and tend to be shorter and involve less get me to slow down and ultimately see the way in which commitment. But the friendship of “virtue” is what we I was about to blow up. would call, “true friendship.” Most of us only have a few I pray that you, too, have a true friend like Peggy… or such friendships in our lifetime, if at all. These friendships Gibbs. A friend who will shoot straight with you in order typically take years to cultivate. A key characteristic of to save your life. Peg regularly saves mine! this “virtue friend” is that this friend has the liberty and the courage to lovingly offer correctionwhen it is needed. King Solomon writes: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; Profuse are the kisses of an enemy,” Proverbs 27:6. (Perhaps this is where the term “kiss-up” originated?) Solomon’s father, King David, had many so-called friends around him but one true friend who wounded him when he absolutely needed it. After David’s adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband, God sent Nathan to confront David about his sin. Talk about a tough assignment! David was the most powerful and popular man in the land. Nathan could lose more than a friendship… he could lose his head! But Nathan’s love for David, and even more importantly, his love for God, drove Nathan to pull the trigger. The shot hit the target, David’s heart was convicted, he repented, God graciously forgave his sin, and his relationship with God was restored… although there were consequences from David’s sin. (2 Samuel 12:1-15) Ron Story Community Life Pastor [email protected] .

Load more